One Second Chance
by Sunshine and Chocolate
Summary: Oliver always thought that one second chance could change everything between he and Tess. He will soon find out how right he was but can he figure out a way to save the woman he loves before her time runs out? Tess and Ollie and Clark and Lois.
1. Chapter 1

One Second Chance

Pairings: Oliver/Tess & Clark/Lois

Summary: Oliver always thought that one second chance could change everything between he and Tess. He will soon find out how right he was but can he figure out a way to save the woman he loves before her time runs out?

Author's Note: I hope that you enjoy this story. It is a little brainchild of mine. My usual Tess/Ollie stories are one-shots. At first that's all this was going to be but then it just kept evolving. I have drawn some inspiration from the Christmas movie _Three Days _starring Kirsten Davis and Reed Diamond. It's one of my all-time favorites but it's an older TV movie. I am not sure how many of you have seen it. If you have... you'll have some idea where I am going with this and if you haven't... just read to find out!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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The smells of the hospital were something that she had become familiar with over the last several years of her life. It was not just the smells of disinfectant that were trying to mask the smell of sickness that could never be erased from the air but all of the noises, too. The hustle and bustle of the nurses and the doctors passing files between them and talking always got on her nerves.

But it was when they were talking in hushed whispers only a few feet away and glancing back at you to check on your wellbeing that was the hardest on her nerves. That always meant bad news.

"Hey…" The sound of his voice off to her left caused her to look up. Clark was standing before her with his sleeves pushed passed his elbows, his tie loose, and holding two Styrofoam cups. He offered her one when as he came closer to her and leaned against the wall.

"Hey," Lois took the cup. "Thanks."

"No problem." He said slowly before glancing through the glass window to see the two figures inside.

He furrowed his brow and a pained expression crossed his blue eyes.

Lois stared down into the murky brown liquid she held in her hand now and sighed just a little. The silence hung between the engaged couple. It was filled with apprehension, tension, fear, and the little bit of hope that refused to dissolve.

Clark moved his eyes back to Lois after a few very long moments. She kept staring into her cup of coffee without having taken a sip once. Her hair was messed, her clothes were wrinkled, and both were haunted by not only the suddenness of the situation but the weight of having to be the ones that told Oliver about it.

They had to be the bearers of bad news but as soon as he heard he had tried to fight through not just Lois but also Clark to get to her. Only when he knew he would simply get in the doctors' way did he calm down. Remembering the situation sent a chill down Clark's spine. He had never seen his best friend like that before. By the quiet and disturbed expression on his fiancé's face he knew that she was lost in those same thoughts about Oliver, about everything.

He shook his head to be rid of the memories that were too fresh to process and glanced away from Lois toward the people at the end of the hall. He saw the doctor talking to a nurse quietly and they both kept glancing back at the two young reporters.

"Has the doctor said anything?"

Lois looked up at him. "What?"

Clark nodded toward the doctor. "Has he said anything yet?"

Lois followed his eyes, "Nope."

She wished that she had the energy to get pissed off about the fact that they had not been told anything yet. Lois just did not have it in her. Besides, Oliver had already given them an ear full when they had decided that he could not go in to see her. Lois figured that she did not really need to add to anything he said to make sure the point was clear, doctors were idiots with god complexes who should be very afraid of the power that Oliver Queen wielded.

Clark interrupted her thoughts again. "I just wish… I mean, maybe if I had gone with her or something that it wouldn't have happened. I could have protected her from it. I just think I could've—"

Lois snapped her head up to him and stood immediately. "Hey, you listen to me. There is nothing you could have done for her. This was just a freak accident. And we will find the son of a bitch that did this to her."

She touched her hand to his face to make sure he looked her in the eye. "Do you understand me? We will find the person that ran her down."

Clark smiled sadly. "Do you think that the person did it on purpose?"

Lois shook her head. "I don't know. It is certainly a possibility. She's got a lot of enemies. We all do. It's something we need to look into. Either way, on purpose or on accident it was not something they are getting away with."

Clark was about to speak again but noticed that the doctor started to make his way to them. "Lois…"

She turned her head and looked over her shoulder. Lois saw the man in the white lab coat walking closer and closer. She turned away from Clark but leaned back against his chest as he put his hands on her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Are the two of you here for Tess Mercer?"

"Yes, Doctor. We are. How is she?" Clark asked with a dignified grace and authority that Lois could not manage at this moment.

"She's in critical condition. There has been significant damage done internally. "He started slowly. Lois took a deep breath in as she prepared for whatever came next.

"Now, we have done the best we can to stop the bleeding and for the moment that is stable. However, she sustained head injuries we won't be able to diagnose or even begin to understand until she wakes up."

Clark nodded his head. "When will that be?"

The doctor adjusted the file he held in his hands. The sympathetic look on his face gave Clark a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Well… Tess is in a coma. We aren't able to speculate how long it will last."

"Typically… how long does this last?" Lois asked with an edge to her voice. "I want an answer."

"It could be a few days… few weeks or a few months… or as long as a few years or she may never come out of it."

Lois stepped closer. "You go to school for years. You make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. You walk around this city like you are a gift from heaven. I ask you to answer one simple question and you tell me that this coma could last as little to a few days or as long as the rest of her natural life? Well duh, doctor those are the only options! So why don't you take your pencil pushing ass somewhere very far away from me and think of something a little bit more educated to tell me when you come back or you will be in a hospital bed very soon."

"Miss, I understand that this is a very difficult time for you but it won't help to threaten me." The doctor replied.

Lois raised an eyebrow at him and lowered her voice. "It seems you have misunderstood me. That was not a threat. It was a promise."

Clark saw that the doctor, apparently under the impression Lois was just another upset friend like the ones he probably encountered daily, opened his mouth to speak again but he interrupted. "Doctor, I think you should leave."

The doctor glanced between the two and then nodded his head. "I will be back soon to check on the patient."

He turned and walked away.

"If you're as smart as you think you are then you'll come back with an actual answer!" Lois yelled after him.

Clark put his hands on her shoulders. "Lois, you have to calm down. We're not going to help Oliver or Tess very much acting like that."

Lois let out a breath and began to sit down on the chair outside the patient room. Clark sat down next to her.

After a moment Lois spoke. "Fine but if he comes back with the same lame-ass generic answer then you have to promise me that I can deck that Doogie Howser wannabe."

Clark managed to laugh despite the circumstances. He put his arm around Lois' shoulders as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I promise."

The silence settled on them again as their thoughts travelled to the couple on the other side of the wall the chairs were set up against. Not only were they worried about what would happen to the woman that had become an integral member of their little superhero team but had managed to become a very important friend… they were worried about the man that loved her once upon a time.

And they really worried that he would never get the chance to say he still did.

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End of Chapter 1.

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	2. Chapter 2

One Second Chance

Chapter 2

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It had been a while since the actual collision. It had been a long time since Tess had walked across a street outside of the Daily Planet without any care in the world and gotten hit by a car. Oliver heard that the initial impact had been so jarring, so violent, and so shocking that most witnesses were shocked she was still alive.

Oliver was shocked that this could happen to _her_. The only woman that had ever been able to sneak inside his walls and make him feel for someone things he had never before. The only woman that had always had this elusive power over him and he elevated her to some goddess like status instead of mortal woman.

Tess wasn't just some woman walking down the street. Things like getting hit by a car happened to the everyday woman on the street so because she wasn't some ordinary woman then things like that could not happen to her.

None of this made any sense to Oliver.

But all he was looking at now was the aftermath of that collision. Her skin was pale. It lacked that vibrant glow Tess always seemed to radiate since the moment Oliver woke up on that island and saw her for the first time.

Oliver remembers that like it was yesterday. If he had known then what he knows now, the first thing out of his mouth should have been those three words. But they weren't what came out of his mouth and then they just never did.

Her lips were chapped, and dry, they were nothing like the usual pout that Tess wore. Her lips were red, soft, and her taste was sweet. He knew that taste as well as anything he had ever known and now it was gone.

Tess…

His eyes began to gloss over as his throat tightened. He tried to choke the tears back and all he did was breathe. They slipped down his cheeks and Oliver hated them as they traced patterns over his rough skin because of what they meant.

Tess wasn't moving. She wasn't smiling or laughing. Of course, the first thing that would be really important for Tess to conquer right now would not be the smiling or the laughing but the breathing.

The feisty and spirited woman that Oliver had fallen in love with was not even capable of breathing on her own.

Oliver did not understand any of this. Tess was always something inside of him that kept him going. It was something about her that just kept him going. From the moment Oliver met Tess he had had two realities: running away from Tess and running toward Tess. Usually though, it was a little bit of both.

He put his hand around her limp and delicate hand. Oliver slowly brought it to his mouth and softly placed a kiss on her skin, it was cold to the touch of his own lips. He couldn't stop the fresh flood of tears that made their way down his face.

Nothing makes sense. Oliver was just at a loss, he could hardly even process what was going on. Tess was just lying there. All of the zest was taken from her, stolen away in the blink of an eye and as a result all of that was stolen from Oliver too.

He couldn't ever tell her how much she meant to him. She was the center of his world in so many ways.

Yet, he had just assumed that she knew that.

He took a deep breath in and tried to calm himself down. He needed to be calm not only for himself but for Tess. Oliver began to rub his thumbs over her cold skin in an effort to comfort her but perhaps give her some warmth. He wanted to share the warmth of his skin with hers in a futile attempt to wake her up and make her feel better.

"Mercy, listen to me. You have to wake up." Oliver whispered. "I know that you are stronger than this. You have survived too much for too long to let this get you."

Something deep down in Oliver had this irrational hope that she would suddenly wake up and agree with him whole heartedly.

He just wanted her to wake up. There was so much he still had to tell her. There was so much she needed to know. Oliver would never be able to handle her death… no.

She wasn't going to die. There was no way that Tess was going to die without knowing that she had always been the one for him and he was so stupid to ever let her go or think otherwise.

"You have to know," Oliver said. "Tess, you need to wake up so I can tell you how much I love you. So I can tell you I've always loved you. Tess, please? Please God. Don't take her away from me. Not now… not like this. I will do anything just, give us one more chance."

His last words seemed to be trumped by the sudden sound of the alarms going off in the room. Oliver looked up at her heart monitor to see it was going crazy and only seconds later the door burst open and a flood of nurses and doctors came through it.

"She's crashing!" One of them yelled and the doctor started to bark orders to the nurses. "I need a crash cart now!"

"TESS? What's going on? What is this?" Oliver yelled as the doctors and nurses all began to rush around her bed. "Tess. What's this? NO! Doctor, you have to help! No! TESS!"

Oliver had stood up from his chair and was being pushed and bumped by all of the people around him. He refused to let go of Tess' hand and only gripped it further as they laid her bed down flat and prepared to shock her heart back into a normal rhythm.

"Tess! NO! Don't you dare leave me, Tess," Oliver screamed.

"Get him outta here!" The doctor yelled to the nurse standing beside him. She laid a hand on him which he immediately shrugged off.

"No!" Oliver yelled. "I'm not leaving her!"

"Sir, please!" The nurse said as another came to Oliver's other side and began to push him toward the door forcing Oliver to let go of Tess' hand. "NO!"

Both women took advantage of Oliver's distracted state as his eyes were glued to what the doctor was doing to Tess and pushed him toward the open door where Clark and Lois stood watching the same scene with horrified expressions on their faces. The nurses handed Oliver over to his two friends to restrain him so the nurses could go back to their patient.

"NO!" Oliver continued to yell as Clark firmly held him back with only one hand. Oliver just watched as Tess' body jumped up and down from each shock that was administered.

"Again," The doctor yelled.

Lois, Clark, and Oliver watched as another shock was administered.

"Again!"

Another shock was administered.

"Again!"

Another shock was administered.

Tess' only bodily response was the shaking up and down on the bed as the electricity coursed through her. It was like everything began moving in slow motion as her hair, that gorgeous auburn hair flew about her head. The doctor's commands and the nurses hurrying around became too loud for Oliver to comprehend. He just kept his eyes glued on his girl. The only woman he would ever love or had ever loved, the only girl he knew he was made for and that was made for him.

And he started to pray again. He just needed one more chance. That's all he would ever ask for if that was granted he would always be happy. He just needed her to not be stolen from him.

His heart was in his throat and if Clark had not been holding him back Oliver would have been by her side in an instant. The seconds seemed to tick by forever until…

"Call it." The doctor said.

"Time of death is 21:36."

Oliver went limp in Clark's arms and barely registered the sound of Lois crying beside him. The tears ran down his cheeks and he made no attempt to stop them. There was nothing to think about anymore or any reason to be hopeful or any reason to hide his devastation.

Tess was gone. She had died without ever knowing… how much he loved her.

"Tess…" Oliver cried softly as all of the nurses and the doctor looked upon the three with sympathy.

"I am so sorry." The doctor said softly.

"Tess…" He said again. And he fell to the ground and Clark took Lois in his arms as she sobbed into his chest.

Oliver put his head in his hands and cried. He sobbed. He wondered why his prayers hadn't been answered.

The three devastated friends failed to notice a figure just outside the window of the room looking upon them.

As he sat there… on the floor of Tess' hospital room, with her dead body only a few feet away, and only hours after she had been fatally hit by a car… Oliver had no way of knowing that his prayers had been answered.

But he would soon find out that they had.

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End of Chapter 2.

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	3. Chapter 3

One Second Chance

Chapter 3

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Lois opened the door to Watchtower and that was when she noticed she was shaking. Her nerves were so frazzled and her cheeks were cracked dry from the tears. As she was thinking about those tears it made fresh ones spring into her eyes.

She did not want to be here. But it was the only place that Oliver had wanted to go after the hospital kicked them out. Oliver had wanted to stay by Tess' side and not let anyone touch her or take her away from him. He was becoming a hindrance to the hospital staff doing their job so they had all been asked to leave.

She took a glance around inside and her heart felt heavy in her chest. The place was way too familiar and way too connected to Tess. It wasn't the right place for him to be. She knew it would be better for him to be anywhere else.

Lois knew this was the worst thing that Clark and she could have agreed to. The fact that they had actually brought Oliver here should just how drained and broken Clark and she were as well. But she had had a moment of clarity and wanted to take Oliver somewhere else.

Some place that Tess' memory was not touching every single surface. She would take him back to the farm.

She turned around and stopped Oliver with a light hand on his chest. "Ollie, this isn't a good idea. You're just going to be reminded of her. She's too much a part of this place and it's too fresh for you right now. If Clark and I could just take you back to the farm, you can get some rest. We all need rest right now and it's not going to be here. Tess will just haunt you here."

"I want her to haunt me." Oliver mumbled while trying to shrug her hand off of his chest but she held firm. She was persistent even though her heart was breaking at his words.

Lois slowly tried pushing him back through the door. Oliver stopped in his tracks and put a hand on the one she had on his chest. He touched it lightly then began to raise his head to her.

He looked her in the eye.

And all of the arguments she had, however valid they maybe, died on her lips at that look.

Lois understood that the reason he wanted to be at Watchtower was because she was there still and he could be closer to her that way.

"It is okay, Lois. I know what you're saying." Oliver said quietly. He looked behind her toward the large room that housed so much computer equipment and high tech gadgets most people would barely know how to comprehend it all.

And Tess had been the master of the room. Every piece of machinery at her command and it was all done with the elegance that the redhead brought to everything she had ever done in her life…

Hot tears sprang to his eyes.

Lois saw them and she immediately could feel her own tears threaten to spill out again.

A part of her wanted to laugh at her own ridiculousness. Crying so much was not something she was used to and another part of her knew she needed to get used to it. The tears would become a part of her reality in the next couple of days.

Tess was a pain in her ass at times but Lois was sure that the redhead would have said the same thing about her. Thinking about the feisty redhead in past tense made the anger erupt again in her and she clenched her fists.

It was so unfair. Damn, whoever had done this to their little band of merry heroes was going to endure the wrath of Lois Lane. She did not care how many favors she had to call in, how many feathers she had to ruffle, or however many tricks she had learned from her years of being the General's daughter that she had to use… she would find who did this to her friend.

Lois looked at Oliver.

She would find who did this to _both_ of her friends.

Oliver walked further into the room. He shed his coat and let it land on the floor without a second thought. He seemed to be drawn toward the middle of the room, and it looked like he was going to Tess' desk but stopped.

Lois slowly walked in the room and picked up his jacket as she made her way closer to him.

"Oliver? I don't think you should be alone. Maybe we should stay?"

She had a feeling that if left alone then the only friend that he would use to comfort him would be Jack Daniels.

Oliver shook his head and looked over his shoulder at them. "No. The two of you can go home. I think it's best I be alone right now. Honestly, the two of you staying would just make it harder. "

She shook her head as she put his jacket on the railing of the staircase. Then she looked back to Clark who had stood quietly behind them the whole time. The expression on his face was one of heartbreak and the helpless feeling Lois knew all too well at that moment.

He made a motion to the door with his head and held out his hand to her.

Neither of them could do anything to help Oliver. Clark knew that and Lois would just have to accept it.

"If you need anything, buddy, just give us a call and we can be here in a minute. Okay?" Clark said.

Oliver smiled sadly. "I know. Thanks, guys."

"Bye." Lois said softly and turned toward Clark slowly.

The two reluctantly walked out the door leaving their disheveled and broken friend standing in the middle of a dimly lit room that would only serve as a reminder of the one they had lost.

Neither felt good about leaving him but if he said he wanted to be alone they would respect his wish.

So they left to go back to the farmhouse, where they would be only seconds away from Oliver if he needed them, to nurse their own broken hearts.

Lois had been spot on in her assumption about who his companions would be if Oliver were left alone.

But he ran out of whiskey a while ago and had switched to tequila since then.

Oliver sat in the chair that belonged to his Tess and stared out the stain glass window and tried to decipher where the moon was amidst its different colors and odd shapes. He knew it had to be out there somewhere.

At least, he thought it must be out there somewhere. Oliver thought that it was still the middle of the night but he would have to admit… he'd been drinking since Clark and Lois left. So he couldn't swear to anything right now. Not what time of night or day it was or anything but the fact that he was running out of tequila and scotch was next on his hit list.

He brought up the glass to his lips and he took the last swig of liquid from inside. He let it burn down his throat and enjoyed the sensation it created. He put the glass back down and pushed his feet along the floor to turn back toward the desk.

Oliver put the glass on the glass desk and the sound it created echoed throughout the entire place. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair roughly. He began to look over the desk. It was all neat and orderly. Everything had a place and it was organized for efficiency. Tess was not the type for fuss or muss. There were not any little decorations or pictures or anything of that sort. It was just the typical office supplies and paperwork that could be found.

He pushed himself away from the desk and stood up gingerly. He walked to the liquor cabinet and while his movements were a little shaky, Oliver thought that he could manage pretty well considering how drunk he was.

But after only a few seconds Oliver accidently bumped into something which in his inebriated state meant that it threw him off his balance entirely and he wound up on the floor.

"God Dammit," Oliver mumbled.

"No, I think it's quite the opposite."

Oliver lifted his head and froze. There's no way he was drunk enough to start hearing voices. He shook his head to clear away any cobwebs. He stood up from the floor and turned around toward the cabinet to get a refill.

And he froze again.

Standing in the middle of Watchtower was a man dressed sharply in a tailored suit and wearing a fedora on his head.

Immediately, he began to go through the motions in his head. This was still Watchtower and he still needed to defend it if need be as drunk as he was, Oliver began to switch into Green Arrow mode and he would do it in a way that Tess could be proud of, not as a drunken slob.

He made a mad dash for the desk and with everything as neat as Tess had kept it, he found the scissors instantly. Oliver rounded on his intruder with a glaring menace in his eyes.

"Listen, I don't care what you're here for—"And before Oliver could get started in his threatening rant he was cut off.

"I think you will, after all, it's about Tess." The strange man said.

Oliver looked at him for a moment and hesitated. "What? How do you know Tess?"

The man smiled. "I know a lot about Tess. I know a lot about you and Tess. Like I know that today was her birthday, and that you forgot."

His heart fell. Not a lot of people knew when her birthday was but he did. How could he have forgotten?

Oliver stared at the man some more with curiosity but had not withdrawn from his defensive stance or put down his weapon. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"I'm Thomas. You can call me Tom. I am here to help you, I am your answer. Well, I guess I am here to give you your answer."

"What is that supposed to mean? And what does this have to do with…" Oliver caught himself. It would be the first time he would say her name out loud since she passed.

And he couldn't do it.

"It's that right there. That is why I am here." Tom said.

Oliver refocused on him. "What? What?"

"That look on your face is why I am here. That only comes from true heartbreak. And in this case, it's because you did not get a chance to tell Tess one last time that she was the only woman you ever loved and she died thinking on her birthday that maybe, you had never loved her at all."

Oliver immediately raised his weapon higher and pointed it at the man in anger. "She knew. She had to know! Tess knew I loved her. I have always loved her!"

Tom shook his head. "Sadly, she knew nothing of the kind. You see, Oliver you broke her heart too many times for her to think that you loved her. You could not even remember her birthday. All she thought was that she was one of the many."

"How do you know what she thought?" Oliver asked still angry but mostly at himself for the truth of the mysterious man's words.

"I know that as she crossed that street today, she was thinking about you and how you had forgotten her birthday. Tess thought you would have remembered out of everyone she knew and still, she received not even a card or a call from you."

He was suddenly sick of hearing this guy talk about his Tess like that. "Look, Tom I don't know who or what you are. I don't know why you are here but if you've come to torture me then you have accomplished your mission and you can leave me in my sorrow."

Tom smiled broadly. "I am not here to torture you. I am here to give you a chance. One second chance to tell Tess everything that is in your heart. What if I told you that tomorrow when you wake up that it will be two days ago and nothing that happened will have happened yet?"

"What?" Oliver asked. "I don't follow, who are you?"

Tom shrugged. "I go by many different titles in many different times and places but you could say I am a friend. Now… tomorrow when you wake up you will remember everything that happened to Tess and you will have two days to—"

Oliver ran up to Tom, with his weapon discarded on the floor, and grabbed him with a smile.

"What"

"Tomorrow morning you will wake up and no one but you will remember what happened today. You will have two days to let Tess know how much you love her before she dies. You have a chance to give her to let her go with the truth that is in your heart."

He let Tom go roughly and glared at him. "She'll just die again?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"Why? Well, the reason is not important but… I suppose because it was her birthday that the boss is willing to make an exception."

Oliver raised an eyebrow, "The boss?"

Tom waved his hand. "It's not important. Just remember… you will have two days to convince Tess that she is the only woman you have ever loved and maybe then she can go with a little peace."

Oliver shook his head.

"Tomorrow morning. Oliver."

And as suddenly as he had appeared… Tom had gone.

Oliver's eyes widened slightly and he walked over to the spot where Tom had just stood. At least, he thought that this is where Tom had just stood. He began to turn his head around to search for the well-dressed man in the fedora but he was nowhere to be found.

"Tom?" Oliver yelled out. "Hello?"

He brought his hand up to his face and started scratching the stubble that had collected there since his morning shave. He was trying to process what had just happened and could only conclude one thing.

"I am _way _drunker than I thought I was." He mumbled to himself and began to walk toward the desk again deciding not to refill his drink like he had intended. He just needed to sleep.

As he made his way back over to the chair and plopped down into it he had no way of knowing that his whole world would be flipped upside down when he woke up in the morning.

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End of Chapter 3.

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	4. Chapter 4

One Second Chance

Chapter 4

* * *

The next morning, Oliver woke up with a splitting headache and ringing in his ears. He lifted his head up from the desk and immediately felt the pain in his neck and back from sleeping in such an awkward position.

He sighed as he straightened up in the chair. He put his head back against the chair and closed his eyes for a moment. Oliver wanted to just will his headache away but he knew that was not going to work but he had no idea where the pain medicine was.

Only a few moments later Oliver could hear the door opening and while he hated to hear the sound of the door closing and the footsteps and any noise that came along with the arrival of Clark and Lois, he was glad they were there because one of them would know where the First Aid kit was.

With his eyes still closed and his hand holding his head in an attempt to ease the pain.

"Hey! Where is the aspirin, Clark?"

"I am not sure… "Clark approached and Oliver knew this because the sounds of his footsteps got closer and closer until he stopped in front of the desk, "Did you sleep here?"

Oliver nodded his head, "Yeah."

"Why would you do that?" Clark asked.

Oliver's eyes flew open for a second with anger coursing through his body. He forgot about his headache or the soreness in his body. He looked at Clark as he slowly stood up from his chair. His dark-haired friend was never one to be insensitive and Oliver could not believe that he would start today of all days.

"How could you even ask that?" Oliver asked slowly.

"It's really simple actually, why would you sleep here at Watchtower when you have a perfectly useful bed at your apartment?" Clark asked again and his demeanor was of a teasing friend and not a considerate one which made Oliver even more pissed off.

"I will tell you something—"

Then something behind Clark caught Oliver's attention. He looked beyond his friend to the person that was walking passed the steps and as the person came into full view of the two men everything slowed down and time almost seemed to stand still. His eyes came to her face and instead of the brunette he had thought had accompanied Clark it was…

Tess.

Oliver abruptly stood up and was on the other side of the second so fast that he would have bet Clark could not have done it any faster. And before he knew it he was standing right in front of Tess.

That beautiful, elusive woman with such power was right here looking at him like he had grown a second head and he could not help himself when he threw his arms around her and pulled her close into his body. She fit perfectly against him. It was like they were two puzzle pieces and they were always meant to be together.

And now Oliver knew it and he would never let her go again. Thanks to some weird dream he had Oliver would never take Tess for granted again.

"What's going on?" Clark asked but he only got a response from Tess as she stood awkwardly in the middle of Watchtower with Oliver clinging to her.

"I have no idea! Oliver, let me go!" Tess yelled as she shoved Oliver back and he stumbled a few feet away but instantly made a move to embrace her again. Except this time Tess was ready for him and she side-stepped him as he held out his arms.

"Oh no… not again, Casanova, what is going on, Oliver," Tess said as Oliver turned around to look at her.

Oliver suddenly collected himself as he saw the way both of his friends were looking at him.

"Oh it's just… I had this bad dream last night. It's nothing."

Tess raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, I'm not your mother so no cookies and milk for you."

Oliver chuckled sheepishly. "Never mind, then. So uh—what's on the agenda for today?"

Tess sighed and walked around the desk as she sat down in the chair. "Oh you know… run the paper, make sure you all know what you're doing when you're saving the world, and making sure Lois doesn't figure out what I'm getting her for a bachelorette present."

Clark smirked at her. "What are you getting her?"

Tess smirked back. "Nice try… she ask you to snoop or does she have you trained so well that you do it naturally?"

"She doesn't have me trained…"Clark grumbled unconvincingly.

Tess opened up the folder she had been holding on the desk and started looking at it. "Sure she doesn't."

"What about you Clark? What are you doing?"

Clark shrugged and laid the paper down on the table that Oliver had just slept on.

"Nothing… Lois wants to go check out some band for the reception tonight and we have to go the mayor's press conference today. Other than that…"

Oliver chuckled as he started walking toward the desk. He was starting to breathe easier. He was so relieved that everything was just a dream. He was looking at her across the desk and she was looking gorgeous in her pencil skirt and emerald green shirt with her auburn hair flowing in soft waves and the best part was that she did not have a scratch on her. She was breathing on her own; she was awake, and alive and perfect.

He was smiling so wide as Clark and Tess went on talking about stuff for the Daily Planet and he just leaned against the desk in idle bliss watching his best girl in the world. He could just kiss her right now and the only thing holding him back was her reaction to his spontaneous hug earlier. If he laid it on too thick then he would probably be sporting a bruise or two for crossing the line. He did not want to scare her away.

Oliver sighed, he had all of the time in the world. It was all just a dream and her sitting there was proof of that.

"All right, let's go, Clark. We can go to the Planet together. I need to do some stuff in my office and while I can't get yelled for being late for wor, you can."

"Yeah, by you." Clark complained as he put his jacket on and Tess came to stand by his side. But before they left Oliver called out to them. They both turned back to him expectantly and it took him a second to come up with something to say.

All Oliver knew was that he did not want to let Tess go so easily. He needed to know when he would see her again.

"Hey guys! Do you think we could go out to dinner tonight? We could go to Que Sera?"

Tess gave him a strange look. "Did you forget it's Monday? Que Sera's not open on Mondays."

Oliver had the wind knocked out of him. He felt the color drain from his face, "Monday?"

Clark smiled. "Yeah, it's the day that comes after Sunday but one day before Tuesday. Man, is something wrong? You look like you're about to be sick."

"Yeah, Oliver, are you okay?" Tess asked as her eyebrows furrowed together.

He let the information sink in. "Uh…"

"Do you need anything, Oliver?" Clark asked.

Oliver shook his head. "I am so sorry… I must just be tired. Sleeping on the desk is not recommended for beauty purposes."

Tess smirked and headed for the door again. "Sleep is not going to help you very much in that department."

And if they had not just unknowingly handed him the worst news he had ever received he would have said something witty in return. But he did not. Instead he just dismissed their concerns. "I'm fine. You two had better get going or you will be late."

Clark and Tess looked at each other, nodded that they accepted his request, and then him.

"Okay. See you later!"

Clark smiled. "Have a good one."

And with that they both walked out of the door and left Oliver in his despair.

He turned back really fast and ran to the desk. He picked up the paper that Clark had left there and looked at the date on the top.

It was Monday… the 20th of August. But yesterday… when Tess died it was… Wednesday the 22nd of August.

That meant… Oliver's heart sank.

It was not a dream…

Tess was going to die in two days.

It took Oliver only a few moments to drop the paper and sprint to the door. If that was not a dream, if that was really going to happen in two days… he had no time to waste and there was only one person he needed to see.

The best part was he knew exactly where she was going.

* * *

End of Chapter 4.

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	5. Chapter 5

One Second Chance

Chapter 5

* * *

Oliver had run all the way from Watchtower to the Daily Planet. He did not want to get stuck in traffic of any kind. Plus, the exercise was enough to keep his mind off of what he could say to her once he got up to her office.

Of course he could not just come out and say, 'Hey Tess… in two days you are going to get hit by a car and die but I just want you to know you're the only one for me.' That just seemed way too crazy even if it was true. It would get him nowhere.

It wasn't very long until Oliver was pushing himself through the revolving doors of the Daily Planet. He rushed into the lobby and was about to make his way toward the stairs. He saw that there was a rope along the front of them marking that they were under construction of some kind.

"Dammit." Oliver murmured but did not dwell. He ran toward the elevator and pushed the button. As if by luck, the doors immediately opened.

At least, the little things were going his way.

"Thank God." Oliver said and stepped into the elevator which closed behind him instantly. He chose the top floor of the building and it was soon on its way. He was watching the numbers slowly increase intently.

He did not notice the person in the elevator with him.

"Hello Oliver." Tom said simply but it made the already anxious man jump a few feet into the air with shock.

He grabbed his chest and looked at Tom as he turned toward him, breathing heavily. "What the hell, man? You have to _stop_ sneaking up on me. What's wrong with you?"

Tom smiled as he took his hat off his head and waved it in the air apologetically. "I am sorry. I was just checking in with you… I know you are on your way to see Tess."

Oliver calmed down and turned back toward the doors of the elevator. He straightened his jacket as best he could. He had not changed since the day before and his clothes were hideously rumpled from sleep.

He said to Tom coldly, "Yeah, I am so if you could please leave."

"Why should I leave?" Tom asked stepping to stand next to him.

Oliver was in no mood for this guy right now. He shot him a glare. This man was supposedly trying to help but all he had been able to accomplish so far was scaring the hell out of him twice and pissing him off twice.

On the list of people that Oliver wanted to be around right now there was only one. And it was not Tom.

"Why should you stay?"

Tom smirked like the cat that ate the canary which only served to further annoy Oliver. And so did what the man in the polished suit said next. "You need my advice."

Oliver snorted. "I need your advice just as bad as I need my finger jammed into a car door which is not at all."

Tom shook his head and put his hat back on. "I wouldn't be so cocky. You can't go rushing in there like some mad man breaking with reality which is exactly what you would sound like if you tell her the truth. And since we did not get around to this last night… you should be warned that if you tell Tess or anyone for that matter, the truth then everything will immediately reversed and any chance you have at letting Tess know how you feel will disappear. We clear?"

Oliver shrugged. "Crystal. Now that we have that out of the way you wouldn't mind leaving, would you?"

"Not yet, you still need my advice."

Oliver growled and turned toward Tom again, "Fine! What have you got up your sleeve, bucko?"

"You've not thought about your plans at all."

"So what," Oliver asked as he put his glance on the numbers again.

"Do you have any plans?"

Oliver was silent for a good few moments before looking guiltily at Tom. "I have not _exactly_ thought it all the way through."

Tom laughed. "I am going to take that to mean you have not thought about it all."

Oliver could feel his blood begin to boil but he tried to reel it in.

"Excuse me, but in the past sixteen hours of my life I have found out that my girlfriend died and then the clock was turned back by two days so now I have to go through it all over again." Oliver looked at him sideways. "I've been busy."

Tom looked at him. "First of all, she's not your girlfriend. She's just the only woman in your life that has ever loved you unconditionally, and the reason the clock was turned back was because she deserves to pass away knowing how you feel. Second, if you took even a few moments to think about what you're going to say to her… you won't look like a complete idiot and make actually get somewhere with her."

"So what do you suggest, magic man?" Oliver snapped.

Tom shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you know it is her birthday in a few days. You could try to give her something she has always wanted… like the perfect gift."

Oliver turned toward Tom and put his arms over his chest. "And… what would that be? What could that do to possibly change anything? Unless you mean that if I figure out the perfect gift then I will be able to save her? I am sure that's impossible."

Tom looked at him sternly. "I usually say that nothing is impossible."

"Usually is the only word I heard in that sentence."

"Oliver, you can't save her from her destiny any more than she can save you from yours but the whole point of this was to make sure Tess dies knowing what's in your heart. You can't just go up there and randomly blurt out everything that is on your mind. She'll think you're nuts." Tom said softly.

"Well, you know what they say; love makes us do crazy things." Oliver said. "Now, we are about to be at the penthouse, could you please leave?"

"Sure thing, just remember what I said about the perfect gift. Even if you can't save her, it could change everything."

The next thing Oliver knew the doors to the elevator were opening and Tom had disappeared again.

Oliver could not even celebrate the annoying man leaving him because he was too busy bursting through the doors and running along the hallway to Tess' office. He could see her through the glass doors standing at her desk looking down at something.

She looked completely in her element. She was in charge of everything and had no reason to worry or care. Why should she? Tess was a vibrant, healthy, ambitious, and feisty young woman that was on the verge of the best parts of her life.

Oliver felt his heart clench in his chest. He knew he couldn't think about what was going to happen because he needed to focus on the here and now. Oliver was running through so many things that could possibly be the right thing to say or do but he was also, thinking about the perfect present. Maybe…

Oliver knew that he had to buy himself some time to come up with the perfect present so instead he wanted to take her on the perfect getaway. With that idea in his mind, he finally determined to get his way.

At the moment he burst through the door, she naturally raised her eyes to see what was happening.

Oliver stood there for a moment with her just looking at him. As prepared as Oliver had thought he would be when he was running down the hall a moment ago. All of the thoughts flew out of his mind the moment she stared into his eyes.

She had her eyebrows raised and she was holding her gaze on him expectantly.

She had one hand on her hip.

"Well, what's wrong?" Tess asked.

Oliver quickly regained his composure and walked further into her office. He shut the door behind him.

"Wrong? Did I say anything was wrong?" Oliver sauntered up to her desk and leaned on it. "It hurts my feelings that when you see me your mind immediately jumps to the negative. Let me do something to remedy that."

Oliver's heart was beating in his chest like a jackhammer.

Tess rolled her eyes. "You're being ridiculous. Why are you standing in the middle of my office if nothing is wrong?"

Oliver smiled. "I just wanted to ask you a question. What do you want for your birthday, besides me?"

Tess was caught off guard. He could tell by the softness that entered her expression. "I-uh—I haven't thought about it."

Oliver smirked at her and kept his gaze on hers. "Of course you have thought about. How can you not… we're always together. It certainly brings back memories."

She put both hands over her chest. "Yeah, it brings back memories of heartbreak and tears. I meant that I had not thought about what I want for my birthday."

"Well, you should. It's only two days away, think outside the box. How about a vacation? Do you want to fly off to France for the next couple of days? Get out of town? I think you are in need of a break."

Tess was smirking at him while she waited for him to make a joke of some kind which was his usually style. But when he did not add any comment that would break the seriousness of what he had said or any kind of sexual innuendo, and he just stared at her intensely she took him in with her intense gaze.

"You're serious. How can I just run off to France right now?"

"How can you not? Besides, it doesn't _have_ to be France. You can pick where we go. I can have the jet fueled and ready to go in an hour. You don't even have to decide our destination right now… you can tell the pilot when we get on the plane." Oliver smiled his brightest at her. But he kept his eyes on her. Oliver knew that she could tell he was being sincere.

He just hoped it would be enough to convince her. Oliver knew that as much as she tried to hide it that when she brought up how much he had hurt her it was because it was the truth. He had broken her hurt and his own by cheating on her. It was the biggest mistake of his life.

"Listen, Tess. I really want to get away with you for a few days. That's all it is. Please?"

"Oliver—I can't—"

"I am not taking no for an answer. We are going to get away on a little vacation. You have no reason to say no. Unless…"

"Unless, what?" Tess asked slowly.

Oliver smirked trying to lighten the mood again. "Unless you're afraid of what might happen between us. You and I, all alone in some far off exotic location, come on, Tess. When was the last time you did anything remotely spontaneous?"

Tess smirked at him and took in a breath. "Let's see I think that would be the time I threw that Faberge Egg at your head when I caught you with that waitress."

Oliver laughed but he did not take her bait. "Well then you're overdue."

Tess sighed and put both hands on her hips. She considered him for a few long moments. He felt like those were the longest moments of his whole life. Everything was riding on what was going on in her head right now and Tess had the best poker face of anyone he had ever met.

Oliver just kept thinking in his mind, 'Just give me one chance. One second chance is going to change everything. Please.' He held his breath waiting for an answer and just watching her mull over the options in her mind.

Then she said, "I suppose it would not be too bad."

Oliver smiled with relief and excitement. "Okay, well then let's go."

"I don't have any clothes or a toothbrush or anything like that."

"I haven't changed since yesterday. Details we need not worry about."

Tess chuckled as she walked around her desk and stood next to him as he led her out the door. She quickly told her secretary outside her office that she was leaving for a few days and would be back as soon as possible.

Then she turned back to Oliver as if there had been no interruption to their conversation,

"Oh, I forgot that this is not your first time around the rodeo."

Oliver put his hand on the small of her back as they walked to the elevator.

"No it's not. But I always look forward to another go around."

They stepped inside the elevator and as the door closed, Tess replied. "You'll find that it will be a bumpy ride."

Oliver smirked at Tess as she looked at him with just a hint of mischievousness in her eyes. It was flirtatious and it made chills run down his spine. "I look forward to it."

As the elevator made its way down to the ground floor, Oliver just wanted to enjoy his time with Tess. He did not want think about what would happen in a few days. He did not want think about any of the bad things that had or will happen to her but he did have one very important thing to think about…

What the hell would he get her as the perfect present?

* * *

End of Chapter 5.

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	6. Chapter 6

One Second Chance

Chapter 6

* * *

Tess was unusually suspicious of Oliver. Many times she knew he would get a certain look on his face. It had such a mischievous nature that she could immediately tell that he was doing one of two things: trying to get her into bed or trying to keep her from finding out something he did not want her know. That look was always a dead giveaway and put her on the trail of whatever funny business he was up to. But when he burst into her office today there was something different about the look on his face.

Actually, it had started when she and Clark had stopped by Watchtower to check a few things on their way to work. Oliver throwing his arms around her in greeting like he was relieved to see her was unusual and had definitely startled her. It was not his usual behavior.

She brushed it off as grogginess from sleeping at Watchtower which was also unusual for him, and went about her day. It wasn't a very long day until he came bursting into her office with a determined but odd look about him asking her for a quick getaway.

And for some reason, maybe it was the desperation in his face that was so foreign to him, she said yes.

She was curious as to what had Oliver so rattled and exactly what angle he was playing at. So Tess decided that she could play along to satisfy that curiosity.

Tess sat at the back of the jet looking out the window at the clouds below, lost in her thoughts about Oliver's strange behavior and wondering what she was going to do about it when he dangled a flute of champagne in front of her eyes.

She raised her eyebrows at him, "Seriously? It's not New Years' and we did not just get married so the occasion does not call for champagne."

Oliver in his usual fashion just dodged her reply and focused on what he liked out of what she had said and asked,

"Would you like to get married?"

Tess smirked. "Yes, I am desperate to marry the man that cheated on me."

Oliver let his head fall to his chest a little in defeat and what looked like frustration. Tess was satisfied with his reaction. Whenever she felt he was getting out of line she could always pull out that card and easily put him back in his place. A part of Tess actually wanted to thank Oliver for what he had done to her because he had given her the ultimate trump card.

But that part of her was not bigger than the part that wondered what would have happened had he not cheated. If Oliver had not done that and had seriously proposed marriage to her, Tess would have said yes in a heartbeat.

Now, she had to wonder what his motives were behind what he was doing because he always had some. And when he asked her that question it was only as a flippant reply to something she had said. It was amazing what time could do to a relationship.

They were leaps and bounds from where they used to be and now, Tess wondered what would become of them.

Oliver put the flute down next to her, sat opposite her and he slowly sipped his own drink. He stared at her. They had the shades drawn on most of the windows of the plane and the shadows the little bit of light made played off his perfectly smooth jaw line and made his already dark eyes look almost black and extremely enticing.

He stared at her for a few moments and the intensity with which he was looking at her made a flutter of nerves spread through her body. She had to keep control of her emotions. Tess could not let him melt her like that with one look.

He used to be able to do that but those days were long gone. She had to remember that no matter how much she missed those days and the feel of his arms…

Tess made a move toward her champagne flute as she crossed one leg over the other. It was an effort made to distract her mind from where her thoughts had been going. She sipped her own drink and the silence hung between them.

It lasted a few more minutes and Oliver did not let his gaze move from her as she sat back in her seat and tried to give the indication that his staring was not affecting her at all.

Eventually Oliver put his champagne down and shifted in his own seat as he threw an arm over the back of his seat and leaned back.

"So where is this jet flying off to? Lake Como? Paris? London? Tahiti?"

Tess smirked, "Nope. You are thinking way too outside of the box."

Oliver smirked back at her. "So I am thinking a little too foreign I take it?"

She shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of her drink. "Perhaps you are."

Oliver laughed. "So it is somewhere in the States?"

She sighed and put her drink down. "Did I agree to play twenty questions? No, I did not and I don't feel like continuing to indulge you in your childish game."

He made a gesture with his hand. "Then tell me where it is we are going."

"Gotham."

Oliver stared at her, "As in Gotham City?"

Tess smirked. "Yes, as in Gotham City."

She could see him immediately tense up. "It's not exactly a tourist destination, Mercy."

"And yet it is the first place we stayed after getting off of the island. I figured if you're going to jerk my chain with a surprise vacation but let me choose the location I might as well make it interesting for myself and besides, I have wanted to catch up with Bruce."

Oliver took a long deep breath and said, "I figured as much."

Tess smirked viciously at him. But she asked innocently, "Why Oliver, you don't have a problem with Bruce, do you?"

Oliver cracked his knuckles. He was trying to keep calm as he replied, "No. Why would I have a problem with Bruce?"

"Exactly. I mean, the two of you are the oldest of friends. That is just why he took you in after we were rescued. He protected you from the press because as a fellow billionaire bad boy he could understand your situation and now that I am Watchtower and officially accepted into the club as a CEO of a billion dollar company, I figured it was the best chance to catch up with him."

Oliver tried his best to control his breathing and Tess could tell that the redness creeping up his neck from the annoyance and anger coursing through him that he was doing a piss poor job of controlling anything right now. He gritted his teeth and grinned at her.

"It sounds great, Tess. I am looking forward to it."'

Bullshit, Tess thought.

Tess knew what this would do to him and she knew how upset he must be at her right now.

Not only had she taken his offer and turned the tables on him with it by not choosing some exotic romantic location where he could easily put the moves on her, she had chosen to go visit one of the only people on the planet that Oliver had sincere and utter dislike for but it's not that it wasn't for a good reason.

Oliver had very good reason not to like Bruce Wayne and Tess was one of the only people on the planet that knew about it.

She sipped her champagne and stared at Oliver as he fidgeted in his seat. Tess did not know what game it was that Oliver was playing but it did not matter, she did not have read the rules to know how to play along and he was going to find out he had some serious competition.

Tess was now determined to satisfy her curiosity about why Oliver was acting so oddly and Bruce Wayne would help her accomplish this rather quickly if everything went according to the plan formulating in her mind.

Game on Oliver, she thought and smirked as she downed the rest of her champagne.

* * *

End of Chapter 6.

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	7. Chapter 7

One Second Chance

Chapter 7

Author's Note: I see Christian Bale as Batman and Bruce Wayne so that is who is in this story and it is set after Batman Begins but after The Dark Knight Rises, however, they are still staying in the Wayne Manor so just ignore that it burned down in Batman Begins.

* * *

Oliver's mood had changed considerably since Tess had informed him that they were on their way to Gotham City. Not only was that not even on the list of choices he had had in his mind for many reasons like the weather, noise, and people but it was also home to one of his least favorite people in the world, Bruce Wayne.

And it was the icing on the cake that Tess had chosen _this_ city exactly for _that_ reason. He knew that Tess was just screwing with him. But he frankly did not have the time to deal with the antics of Bruce Wayne.

Oliver's blood was boiling with the mere thought of that man. It had all started when he and Tess had been staying at Bruce's mansion after they had been rescued from the island.

It had started out as a pleasant experience. He was on cloud nine with the accommodations after so long with no shelter and the food was incredible and he could not stop thanking his friend Bruce for putting him up and keeping the vultures away while Oliver adjusted back to society. Bruce was back from Princeton on summer vacation and was a charming host to them.

But Bruce Wayne had wasted no time in putting the moves on Tess. It was not something that Oliver noticed right away. It began as the most subtle actions of a host, he gave her the best bedroom in the place, and made sure that Alfred knew her every like and dislike to make her as comfortable as she could be.

It seemed natural to Oliver that Bruce would want to make Tess comfortable because of the ordeal she had been through. Add on top of that, the fact that she wound up at the end of it with a couple of guys she did not know, and he thought that Tess deserved everything that Bruce could offer her.

Except that as time went on, Oliver could tell that one of the things that Bruce wanted to offer her was himself which thoroughly pissed him off. Who did this guy think he was? He would brush her hair away from her face or put his hand on the small of her back when they were walking somewhere.

Ever since Oliver had caught on to what was going through Bruce's mind, he had wanted to deck the guy and had come close a couple of times.

But Oliver had been able to take salvation in a couple of things, Tess seemed to never encourage Bruce's attention and whenever she was alone with Oliver she would pay him special attention. She would hug him a little longer than necessary or touch his arm when they were telling stories and she always made eye contact with him. Tess let him know that he had no reason to worry.

So when the time came to leave Gotham City and move onto Star City because Oliver was good and ready to face the world again and return to his home, Tess accompanied him and everything after that was history between them.

Oliver sighed as he stared out the window of the plane. He could see the tops of buildings begin to poke through the clouds as they made their descent. He glanced at Tess who was sitting across from him but had fallen asleep at some point.

Her auburn hair had fallen in front of her face.

He looked at her and was lost in more memories of why he disliked Bruce so much.

The truth was that Tess had not been as oblivious to Bruce's affections. When their relationship got into rockier territory due to Oliver's wandering eyes, Tess would never miss an opportunity to get back at him when she would casually drop into a conversation that Bruce had called her or sent her a quick hello card.

Tess knew that Oliver was jealous of Bruce and the flirtatious relationship that existed between her and Bruce.

Of course, when they were at an event where the bad boy billionaire was also present then Tess would amp up the flirtatious nature and make sure that Oliver had a front row seat to what she was doing just to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Bruce always participated in her little game without even maybe knowing what was truly going on. It was obvious to anyone that saw the way that Bruce looked at Tess (and had always looked at Tess) that the man was only waiting for an opportunity. Except that she was with Oliver and she had no plans of changing that.

So it had all been harmless on her end until Oliver had freaked out and cheated on her on vacation.

That changed things.

He knew that he deserved any punishment that Tess could dole out to him. But when he had heard that the person that picked her up at the airport after she had caught him with the waitress was Bruce Wayne and that she had stayed with him while she could get her life back in order again after their break up, Oliver could only imagine that getting punched in the face by Clark would feel about the same.

And Oliver had always wondered what had happened between Tess and Bruce during her stay. It was the chance that Bruce had always wanted for years. It was a chance to be alone with Tess when she was not involved with Oliver in any way.

He could just imagine that Bruce gave her a shoulder to cry on and that it went from there.

The only thing that Oliver could do to hold in his anger was to bite his tongue.

Oliver had always wondered what had happened and Bruce Wayne was just not one of his favorite because of all of those things and more. If there was one man that Oliver thought could threaten his relationship with Tess it was Bruce. What always scared him about the possibility of Bruce being with Tess was not that she would not be another name on his bed post.

No, Bruce looked at her like she could be the one.

Oliver could understand because that's how he saw Tess. There was no other woman like Tess and any man would be lucky to have her but he was the only man that should be able to do that. Bruce may feel that Tess could be the one but Oliver knew that she was the one and he needed her to understand how deep his feelings went before their time ran out.

So it wasn't that Oliver did not just dislike Bruce or felt he was a rival but that it was all in good fun and in the spirit of competition. It was that Oliver was afraid of Bruce.

And now, Oliver had no time to waste with Tess. He could not get caught up with his fear of Bruce or with Bruce trying to make a pass at Tess or Tess flirting with Bruce. No, Tess had brought him to Gotham City to mess with him but he had no time.

Oliver could not let anything distract him.

He was brought out of his musings by the sound of the landing gear being prepped for their descent. He reached across and nudged Tess on the knee. He felt the silky smoothness of her skin even through her stocking.

The touch of his fingers was enough to startle Tess into consciousness. She had incredible reflexes like that which was just another thing that Oliver loved about her.

"What?" She asked softly.

"Nothing… we're just about to land." Oliver said softly back looking into her eyes.

He did not remove his hand from her knee and she slowly looked down at it. After only a moment Tess had raised her gaze to his and the electricity was coursing between them in so many ways. Her skin was beginning to flush and his hand was beginning to shake but neither of them moved. He could hear her breathing increase and he could feel his own start to do the same.

Oliver wanted nothing more than to lean in and kiss her. He started to lean in and his hand inched forward slowly. Tess raised an eyebrow at him as if daring him to continue and she let her own hand find the one that was on her leg. Their fingers touched and she squeezed his fingers with anxious tension as he began to get closer. Their breathing was getting shallow and he could smell the sweetness of her perfume.

They just stared into another's eyes.

The moment stretched on forever as the space between them decreased and neither had noticed that the plane had landed and was ready to be deplaned until the pilot had come out of the cockpit and interrupted them.

"Welcome to Gotham City, Miss Mercer and Mr. Queen. I believe your ride is waiting for you."

The moment was gone.

Tess immediately stood up to gather her things from the plane while Oliver sat slightly shell shocked from what had just happened. He had been so close and yet he was still so far away but now he had hope.

"Oliver, hurry up. We can't keep Alfred waiting." Tess said in a business like tone as she breezed passed him toward the door.

Oliver could not deny that he had a fondness for the old man. And he knew that Tess would act as if nothing had happened between them so for the moment he could just play along.

He stood up at that point from his seat and smiled at her. "I would never dream of keeping the old chap waiting for anything. Maybe we can even have tea and crumpets with him in the car on the way back?"

Only second later, Oliver followed her out of the plane and the bright sunshine hit his eyes harshly but what even hit him harder was what Tess said next.

"Bruce? What are you doing here?"

Oliver let his eyes fall on the dark haired man standing next to the man they had been expecting.

Great, Oliver thought. If anything could sour his mood from what had just happened it was seeing that man. And there stood Bruce Wayne looking like he owned the world with a smirk on his face and his arms opened in anticipation of a hug from the auburn haired woman in front of Oliver.

Oliver's blood began to boil again. He knew that he could not let Bruce distract him and he could not waste his time in playing any games with anyone. That moment that had just transpired between he and Tess gave him hope but he still had to find the perfect present and now, he had to keep his attitude in check around this guy.

'Focus on Tess and everything will work out,' Oliver thought trying to calm him-self.

As the two of them began to walk down the steps of the plane and walked closer to the two men, Oliver just had to grin and bear it because he knew that every second of Tess was worth anything to him and if he had to put up with Bruce Wayne then so be it.

* * *

End of Chapter 7


	8. Chapter 8

One Second Chance

Chapter 8

* * *

Tess sat next to Bruce inside the car while Oliver had to sit on the side as Alfred drove toward the mansion. She could see what this was doing to Oliver from the corner of her eye and she just smirked to herself.

It was so satisfying to see him in such a sore mood. And if he thought that he could hide something from her then he was mistaken.

And he was going to continue to suffer until she was able to figure out what was going on inside of his mind. A surprise nine 'o clock in the morning vacation with a veiled attempt to win her back was not going to work on her as easily as Oliver thought it would.

She would not be another notch on his bed post when he was feeling lonely and he could not sweep her off her feet on a whim simply because he was rich and had the means to be impulsive. Tess would not go down that easily.

And she always loved being the one that reminded Oliver that he was not as suave as he would like to imagine he was. She was never one to miss an opportunity he gave to her to show him who had the upper hand in their complex relationship.

She knew that Oliver was watching her every move even though it seemed like he was watching the scenery as it went rushing passed. So she turned her body toward Bruce and leaned in a little so that their upper bodies were not but a few inches apart.

Tess could see Oliver's jaw clench while he tried to keep his face blank of emotion but she had gotten a reaction and it gave her even more ammunition.

"So Bruce what have you been doing lately?"

"Oh, you know the usual." Bruce said with a charming smile and turned toward Tess. If she had not been so focused on making sure Oliver saw what she was doing then Tess would have noticed that Bruce was also responding to her advances.

"But I don't really want to talk about what I've been up to… what has the lovely Tess Mercer been up to lately? Getting into trouble, I hope."

Tess smirked and leaned back a little so that her arm rested against the door creating an abundance of space between them causing the dark haired man to crease his brow in confusion but the other man in the car to breathe a sigh of relief.

"No more trouble than I usually do. It's a lot harder to get into trouble when I spend all of my time making sure the two of you boys stay out of it. But a girl's got to have some quality time and I'll leave that to your imagination."

Bruce smiled again. "It's hard for me to imagine that you've turned into a goody two shoes even with taking on Watchtower. It's not like you're that blonde little thing that used to do Watchtower. Now _she_ was a little vanilla, if you catch my drift."

Tess just smirked. Bruce was working out perfectly for her. She flicked her eyes over to Oliver who had suddenly become very uncomfortable and looked like the air had been sucked out of the car and he now had no way of breathing.

But it was about to get even worse for the blonde man. Tess' mere smirk in response to Bruce's statements seemed to give him encouragement to carry the conversation along.

"What was her name again?"

Tess smirked again. "Why don't you ask Oliver? He got to know her _very_ well."

Bruce turned toward Oliver for the first time. Oliver shot Tess the dirtiest look he could but it was mixed with anxiety and discomfort. Bruce slapped his companion on the knee. "Well, mate? What was her name? And, uh, how _well_ did you get know her?"

Tess rolled her eyes. While both of these two were sophisticated, well educated, clever, and of a world class caliber but they were both men when it came right down to it. And the thinly veiled crude remark she just heard made her stomach turn.

And when it was in connection to Oliver and Chloe, her stomach turned even worse.

Those were things she had tried to keep from her mind since she found out they were sleeping together in the first place. It was never something Tess would admit to but the idea of Oliver and Chloe made her uncomfortable.

She would never admit, even to herself, that she was jealous but the idea of Oliver and anyone made her throat dry and anger flare inside her veins.

Tess could feel that she was quickly losing control of her emotions.

Tess refocused her attention on the conversation and glanced up into the face of the man that had just been the center of her thoughts only to find that Oliver was staring right back at her. There was an indescribable look shining in his eyes. It was almost as if there was understanding in them; it was as if he had been listening to her thoughts just now and was trying to tell her that it was nothing to worry about.

Tess raised an eye brow at him and was desperate to gain the upper hand once more. "Tell him, Oliver. What was her name?"

Oliver just raised an eyebrow back at her. There seemed to be a challenge existing between them.

Tess had managed to make him uncomfortable with Bruce and bringing him to Gotham but he was not going to miss his chance at revenge. So he turned to Bruce and smiled a wicked smile that was meant more for Tess.

"Oh, her name was Chloe Sullivan. And yes, she and I were _very good_ friends. In fact, she was one of the best friends I have ever had."

Tess snorted. "And you've had your fair share of best friends over the years. In fact, you've had quite a few people's fair share of best friends. Isn't that right?"

Oliver shrugged. "I suppose but I happen to be a very friendly guy."

Bruce cleared his throat and brought the attention of both his companions back to him. They had forgotten he was sitting in between them. "So… what happened to Chloe? I mean, are you and she still friends, Oliver?"

A dark expression passed over his face and it made Tess' heart twist and before Oliver got the chance to say anything, she answered the question.

"Chloe disappeared. No one knows where to find her. Anyway, let's talk about you a little Bruce. What is the current status of you and your many friends?"

"Unlike my buddy Oliver, I have not had a best friend in a very long time."

And the conversation descended back into playful banter between Tess and Bruce while Oliver retreated back into his earlier occupation of watching the scenery pass them by.

His sullen mood because of the way the conversation ended did not go unnoticed by Tess. And it had her wondering something that had not been a possibility this morning when he approached her in her office or on the plane over to Gotham.

Tess had assumed that Oliver had something up his sleeve and an agenda motivating his actions. But as she watched him for the rest of the car ride to the mansion she began to wonder if it was the opposite…

He did not have an agenda at all and Tess wondered what that meant for them. She had gotten so used to engaging him in some kind of power play where each had ulterior motives that she had long forgotten what it was like to just be Tess and for him to just be Oliver.

And the prospect of returning to that made her pulse race and her stomach flutter. She just hoped that Bruce did not notice the flushing of her cheeks as he continued to flirt with her about friendships. The truth was his was not the friendship she was hoping to walk away with after this trip ended.

* * *

End of Chapter 8.

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	9. Chapter 9

One Second Chance

Chapter 9

* * *

It was late at night. Oliver could hear the wind against the windows of his room. It was howling like crazy and just the sound of it made him shiver. He was wide awake. After they had arrived at Wayne Mansion nothing had gone very smoothly. Alfred had the staff take their belongings to their rooms while Bruce took both of his new guests downstairs to the newly installed bowling alley.

Oliver resented this on two levels. The first was that Bruce was so unoccupied by his nightly prowls and his billion dollar business that he had time to put in a bowling alley and the second was that Oliver had never been very good at bowling.

So that had been an hour and fifteen minutes of hell that was filled of gutter balls, worrying about trying to get Tess away from Bruce so he could be alone with her and humiliation after humiliation handed to him by Bruce while Tess watched the dark haired man throw strikes the entire time.

Oliver sighed and rolled over onto his side.

Dinner had not been any better. Bruce had displayed his cooking skills by grilling steaks outside and even Oliver had to admit that the man was damn good around the grill but watching Tess fawn all over Bruce and every little thing he did all afternoon was not what he had in mind this morning when he wanted to get away somewhere with her.

And he would have had to sit in misery watching them for a lot longer than he did if it had not started to pour down rain while they all sat outside eating their meals. So they had all hurried inside and mercifully dispersed to their separate rooms for the night.

Oliver wanted to forget all about today. Nothing since landing in Gotham City had gone his way.

Now the storm that had ended his misery was in full force while he just lay awake thinking about everything that had happened in his life in the past few days and everything that would happen to him in the upcoming days.

Both thought processes involved Tess, a horrible collision, and her subsequent death were torture for him.

In the stillness of his large bedroom with only his thoughts to keep him company and after the day he had just had, he was more aware than ever of how little time he had left with her.

And all he could think of now was some way to save her. There had to be something he could do.

"But there's not."

"I take it that you, whatever you are, don't sleep." Oliver said in return. He did not even look around but continued to stare straight in front of him at a chest of drawers. He was getting really sick of this guy. Thomas seemed to think that what he was doing was positive but Oliver would argue that this man only brought him problems and he had enough of those already.

"You can't save her. Why do we have to keep going over this?" Thomas asked.

Olive growled. "I can't stand you right now. I am so sick of you telling me things that I know in my heart aren't true. I know I can find some way to save her and I will do that with or without your input. So if you wouldn't mind leaving that would be great."

"You won't find your answers just laying here staring at your walls. Only when you find out what is the perfect present, and this little trip is not it, will everything else become clear."

The words sank into Oliver's skin like nothing else ever had before. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"What? Are you saying I can save her?"

He waited for a few seconds but he received no reply.

"Thomas?" Oliver sat up abruptly to where Thomas' voice was coming from and looked into the darkness.

"Thomas? Dude, where did you go? I am not done talking to you!" Oliver yelled out into the darkness with confusion, panic, and excitement racing through his veins. He had no idea what Thomas was talking about but he was determined to figure out the perfect present for Tess if it meant that after Thomas would let him know if he could save Tess' life.

"Oliver? Who are you talking to?"

Tess' voice made him sit up in bed with shock but he immediately pushed back the covers of his bed and rushed to the door of his room.

He pulled back the heavy wooden door and was greeted with a vision of Tess so simple and lovely that his heart stopped.

Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail but a few wisps of hair fell into her eyes and her face was freshly washed of makeup. She was glowing but the look on her face was one of freaked out concern.

She looked toward the room and then back at him. "Did I hear you speaking to yourself?"

Oliver panicked and he briefly measured how crazy the truth would seem in his mind and quickly determined a white lie was best.

He shrugged awkwardly and blurted out, "Television."

Tess looked at him even more weirdly, "Television?"

"I had the television on." Oliver said and decided to change the subject. "But I turned it off when you called my name. So what do you want?"

Tess got tense all of a sudden. She started to fidget with the drawstring of her pajama bottoms and looked down at the floor. "I don't want anything… I was just um… you know walking around and I couldn't sleep and I—"

Oliver smiled at her a little. "Tess?"

She looked up at him, "Yeah?"

"Do you want to me to keep you company for a while? At least until the thunder and lightning stops? "

Tess gave him a glare that was not very convincing in its intensity. "Do you really think that I am afraid of a little thunderstorm?"

Oliver grabbed her hand away from her drawstring and held it softly. "I know that you talk tough but you don't have to pretend in front of me. Get in here."

He pulled on her hand while closing the door at the same time. She swept inside and then stood in the middle of the room while he shut the door behind her. He turned toward her and the tension between them could be cut with a knife.

He stared at her while she just looked around awkwardly trying to keep up a strong front for him like she had become so used to doing since their relationship ended years ago. It was in that moment that Olive realized just how far they had drifted from each other.

And in that moment, Oliver also realized that he wanted no more of being so far away from her emotionally and physically. So he walked straight up to her, stood in front of her, and as soon as she looked into his eyes with a beautiful mixture of strength and vulnerability, he kissed her.

It started slowly at first. Oliver stood there with his hands on her face with his lips pressed against hers and she stood there without any movement at all. He started to panic after a few seconds that perhaps he had pushed her too far or he was moving too fast. So he moved to step back but Tess' hands found their way into his hair and she pulled him into the kiss deeper as she began to slide her tongue along his teeth.

They began to push and pull against one another as each enjoyed kissing. It had been too long since they had just kissed. There was no anger motivating the kiss or revenge or itch scratching to be done. It was just the two of them and the joy of the familiarity fighting for dominance with the reality of being together.

Then everything changed. Each of them could feel the mood in the room change as her hand began to roam underneath his shirt. He could feel her touch on the smoothness of his back and he ran his hands down her thighs before he settled his hands on her butt and she jumped into his arms.

The intensity in their kissing began to increase as a heat began to course between them. Hands were roaming everywhere, tongues and teeth were clashing, as skin slid against skin, and the only sounds that could be heard beyond the thunder were their whimpers and moans.

As their clothes fell to the floor and he fell onto the bed with Tess straddling him never breaking their physical connection for a moment, Oliver knew that he did not care what happened in the past and for this moment he did not care what happened in the future because all that anyone has is the present and he would cherished every last second.

* * *

End of Chapter 9.

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	10. Chapter 10

One Second Chance

Chapter 10

* * *

It was dusk when she woke up and for a moment a panic began to set in because as Tess opened her eyes she could not identify where she was. Her heart began to race and she searched the dark room for anything that looked familiar.

She moved around on the bed and was met immediately with the feel of something solid behind her.

Tess looked to see what it was and she furrowed her eyebrows when she saw Oliver sleeping next to her in the bed. She put her head back on the pillow as she began to replay the images from the last day in her mind.

It all came back to her in the form of a tidal wave. She lay there and stared at the ceiling. They were in Bruce Wayne's manor, per her request, in Gotham City, and if that was not awkward enough last night she had slept with Oliver.

Oh God, she had slept with Oliver.

She put her hand to her forehead.

A new kind of panic began to set in. What the hell was she going to do now? It's not like Oliver and she were going to get back together. He had made it abundantly clear on many occasions over the last few years that reconciliation was not on his agenda.

For crying out loud when she joined Watchtower Clark had to strong arm Oliver into agreeing to the arrangement merely out of necessity. Neither he or Clark or anyone else other than she and Chloe would be able to handle that complex of a computer system so they had to let her into their little club of superheroes.

Tess shut her eyes as another thought chased her current one. Chloe was yet another reason why she knew that Oliver and she were never getting back together. Before she disappeared, Chloe and Oliver were pretty hot and heavy much to her dismay.

It churned her soul that out of all the women in the world Oliver could have gotten serious with he had chosen Chloe.

Tess would never admit out loud that she was jealous but she was. Oliver was the only man she had ever loved. After she had gotten to Metropolis and started working at the Daily Planet she had hated seeing Lois around knowing she was another of former flame of his.

Tears started to sting her eyes. It was harder on her than she would ever admit to always be surrounded by women that were currently or formerly involved with Oliver Queen. Tess had never wanted to think she was one of the many but it was the truth.

She was one of the many people that Oliver had loved in his life and there was nothing she could do about it because he was the only one for her.

Tess held no delusions that her feelings mattered to him and she would never put her heart on the line again when at any second it would be broken by him again.

There was nothing that Tess wanted less than to get her hopes up about Oliver only to have Chloe sweep back in from nowhere and be left alone and broken hearted.

And she had no reason to believe that anything but that would happen if she was stupid enough to get involved with Oliver again. Chloe could come back at anytime and she was not looking to get her heart broken or put herself in an awkward position with the members of Watchtower.

It wasn't just her heart that was on the line but the family she had gained by joining Watchtower. It was the acceptance she had always craved. She had once thought that she had found all of those things with Oliver on an island in the middle of the ocean but she was wrong.

She had that now and she knew that if she risked it all on a fling with Oliver. Plus, if it ever came down to a choice between Chloe and herself she knew that not only would Oliver choose the first option but so would Clark and Lois and that would be more than she could handle.

The tears that had been stinging her eyes began to spill over her cheeks and she decided it was time to leave before she woke him up and things got awkward. Besides, the last thing their complicated friendship needed was the morning after weirdness.

Tess slowly sat up in bed as she made up her mind to chalk up this night to nothing more than a fluke if he mentioned it the next day.

A few seconds of stealth movement and she found herself dressed in her gray shorts with her _Metropolis Sharks _t-shirt on. She crept quietly toward the door and when she had her hand on the doorknob she threw one last glance over her shoulder at Oliver.

He was now sitting up in bed with his arms crossed over his naked chest with a smirk on his face and was looking straight at her.

She immediately let go of the doorknob and turned around.

"Don't look at me like that." She admonished.

He shrugged. "How am I looking at you?"

"You're looking at me like you have caught me with my hand in the cookie jar." She sighed.

"I was just simply going back to my room."

Oliver nodded his head. "I figured as much but what I can't figure out is why?"

Tess cocked an eyebrow at him. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this was a mistake and the last thing we need is an awkward morning after experience. Goodnight."

She turned quickly and was halfway through the door when she felt him catch her wrist. Tess turned slowly and gave him a confused and desperate stare begging him to let her go. Her heart began to pound in her chest when she locked eyes with him.

All she saw on his face was determination. "You can go back to your room but I am going too. I can't stand not being with you anymore Tess. I love you."

She shook her head and shut the door. Tess stepped back into the room and yanked her wrist from him.

"What?" Tess whispered. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Oliver stepped closer to her but she was not having any of that.

She was wild with anger and pushed him back when he tried to pull her in to him. Tess began to shake with anxious energy because she could hardly believe he was going to put her through this yet again.

"No! You don't get to say anything like that and get my hopes up again just because you're lonely and missing Chloe. Last night was nothing more than a mistake and we will never speak of it again. But don't use it against me, Oliver; you don't get to play with my emotions again."

Oliver shook his head. "This has nothing to do with Chloe. She and I are over. I love you Tess! I know that it is out of the blue or it may seem that way to you but I can't run from the truth anymore either. You're the only woman that I have ever loved so much that it scares the shit out of me!"

She just looked at him and shook her head. Tess could not let him in again. She would not survive losing him a second time.

"I love you, Tess. Just please let me."

He took a step closer.

She could feel herself giving in but she could not do it.

"You've said that before Oliver and I believed it. You broke my heart, you broke me." Tess added the last part quietly.

She could see tears welling in his eyes that matched the ones that were streaming down her face now.

He stepped closer again. "I know and I will never hurt you again, I love you. No one else means more to me. Not Chloe, Lois, or anyone else. Please, let me prove it to you."

He was standing in front of her now with pleading eyes and honesty on his lips…

And she couldn't resist.

She just nodded her head as the tears continued and a smile broke out on his face like she had never seen before. The next thing Tess knew Oliver had swept her up in a bone crushing hug that she returned with every ounce of strength she had in her.

Tess smiled.

She was home.

* * *

End of Chapter 10.

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	11. Chapter 11

One Second Chance

Chapter 11

Author's Note: I know I said this story was discontinued. But apparently, my muse disagreed. It's the best way for me work out my stress so I hope you like that my stress gets you updates on old stories. I would love to hear from any of you that still care enough to read this story.

* * *

The morning sun was shining in through the curtains when Oliver woke up. He threw his hands over his eyes to block out the offending light but it was of little use so he rolled over on his side and looked at the clock.

It was nine in the morning.

Oliver rolled back over and settled back into bed. He put his arms around the lithe body nestled against his.

He couldn't believe how lucky he was. He had Tess back in his arms and he was determined to never let her go again. Thomas was not going to get the chance to take her away from him again. He was determined now more than ever to find the perfect present to save Tess' life.

And just as some ideas were starting to form inside of his head there was a knock at the door,

Tess groaned at the sound and rolled over into the pillows as Oliver got up to answer the door.

On the other side was Alfred holding a breakfast tray,

Oliver smiled sheepishly when he saw that it was breakfast tray for two. Apparently, the butler knew he hadn't slept alone.

"Good morning Mr. Queen. Master Bruce has had to leave for the city on charity business. But he said that you could have full run of the house hold and to make any accommodations you may require me to make for you. I have brought you and Ms. Mercer some breakfast to start your day I hope it is to your liking."

Oliver took the tray from Alfred. "Thanks, Alfred. This is great. And there is actually something I was wondering…."

Oliver threw a look over his shoulder to see if Tess was still stuck underneath the pillows. And she was but he still kept his voice down as he asked Alfred a very important question.

"Bruce doesn't happen to have any motorcycles, does he?"

The older man gave a wry smile. "Do you really think Bruce Wayne is the type of person that wouldn't? I think you underestimate him, Mr. Queen."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I guess it was a stupid question. Well, I plan on taking Ms. Mercer for a ride later so if you could prepare one, that would be great."

"Absolutely sir, enjoy your breakfast." Alfred said and then added with a smirk, "And tell Ms. Mercer I said good morning,"

Oliver blushed although he didn't know why. It was probably Alfred felt more like a grandparent than a butler and had always treated everyone with care and kindness that one would get from a grandparent. So he tried to suppress his blush as he mumbled a quick reply.

"Sure thing, Alfred."

Oliver shut the door as Alfred retreated down the hallway to prepare the bike.

He walked into the room and gingerly set the tray on the bed. He did his best not to stir Tess. Her head was currently stuck underneath her pillow with arms splayed about the bed and only tufts of her auburn hair could be seen.

It had been too long since he had seen her like this. It had been too long since he had seen her with her guard completely down and just being herself without fear or apprehension of getting hurt or her trust being betrayed.

But this is how he wanted to see her for the rest of his and her very long lives.

And he was going to give her the perfect present of her perfect day. And then Thomas would be satisfied and he would save her.

Yep, Oliver had it all figured out.

But of course, Tess being Tess, she was still completely aware of what was going on around her.

"You should take a picture. It will last longer." She mumbled from underneath the pillow.

Oliver chuckled. "I could but I much prefer the 3D version."

Tess pulled the pillow from over her head and peered at him through her messy hair. "It will cost you extra."

Oliver chuckled again. "I think I can afford it."

She squinted at him. "Oh do you?"

Oliver leaned down so that his face was within inches of hers. He stared into her eyes. Oliver brought one hand up and gently removed the hair from her face then kissed her on the lips. It was a chaste kiss but he poured all of his new devotion into it hoping she would understand the meaning.

When he pulled back and looked into her eyes again, they were filled with wonder and awe.

And hope.

He had succeeded.

But he wasn't done proving it to her yet.

"Alfred brought us breakfast."

Tess smiled, "And coffee?"

He nodded.

"Well then what are you waiting for? Put yourself to good use."

Oliver laughed. "I thought that is what I was doing last night."

Tess kicked him playfully toward the breakfast tray. "You wish. Now get to pouring, mister."

Oliver smiled as he turned toward the tray, grabbed the carafe, and poured Tess a steaming cup of black coffee.

Straight up, just the way she liked it, nothing too fancy for his feisty redhead.

He handed her the cup. And she immediately took a sip of the hot liquid unafraid that it would burn her tongue. She smiled as she swallowed the coffee and closed her eyes to savor the moment. It was just the way she always did when she had her first sip of coffee in the morning.

These were the things he had forgotten he missed about her.

But it was time to correct all of those wrongs.

When she opened her eyes again she began to stare at him with a glint in her eye.

"What?" He asked.

"Oh nothing, I was just thinking about what I would like to do with you all day." She teased.

Oliver felt himself harden at the purr in her voice. But he steeled himself. "Well, you are going to have to put those plans on back burner because I already have our day planned. And you are going to love it. It will be the perfect present."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you, Oliver Queen, seriously turning down a day of sex?"

He shook his head. "Not at all, just postponing it into a night of sex, there's a big difference between the two."

"Oh, I see. So what are your big plans for the day?" Tess asked.

Oliver smirked as he popped a strawberry into her mouth and she caught his finger in between her teeth.

"I was thinking we could go for a little ride."

* * *

End of Chapter 11


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